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VARDHAMAN MAHAVIRA - The Master Child
Mahavira, the Lord and 24th Jain Thirthankara, was the most magnificent figure from his very birth. His great soul, awakened since ages, was prevalent behind the acts of Parent-Worship, Compassion, Courage, Fearlessness, Adventures and the quest for his real self, the pure and enlightened Atman. PARENT WORSHIPPER: Even from the remote pre-birth days in the Mother's womb, Mahavira was always thinking of the welfare of his parents, especially the gracious /mother. Finding his mother's affection for him in abundance, he had taken a vow right from the mother's womb even before birth, that he will never hurt the feelings of his parents, will always respect them and particularly, HE WILL NOT RENOUNCE THE WORLD WHICH HE WAS TO UNTIL HIS FATHER & MOTHER WERE ALIVE. After taking the birth also, inspite of being the possessor of three types of knowledges (namely, the MATIJNANA, SHRUTAJNANA AND AVADHUNANA), he respected and worshipped his parents beyond limits and remaining obedient, he always looked for their welfare unto their last breath. COMPASSIONATE: From the very childhood, he was deeply merciful and highly compassionate for the people around him and for all the creatures of the world. Since he was a great soul knowing his mission and also the helplessness of the creature universe, he went on thinking for the downtrodden and poor and helping them. It is significant especially when even he was a prince having all the luxuries at hand before him. This sentiment of the compassion grew more and more as he grew young. It is the ample proof of his compassionate nature that from one year before his Renunciation of worldly life of a prince and adopting a rigorous monkhood, he went giving charity of all sorts to the 'HAVE NOTS' every day. Thus for one whole year he continuously gave DANAM and then only he renounced. It is said, even after the renunciation, the lone cloth on his body to cover the poor begging Brahmin. Such compassionate he was! COURAGEOUS, FEARLESS & ADVENTUROUS: At the age of five, Vardhamana (the previous name of him) caught hold of a mad, intoxicated, uncontrollable elephant! Again, at the age of about eight, while playing the game of "AMALKI" along with boyfriends and child associates, he comes across a big snake on the huge tree below which, all of them were playing. When all his colleagues, out of grave fear, escaped , Vardhamana, without moving even an inch, fearlessly caught the snake (which was very ferocious) and threw it away like a piece of rope. This snake was none else than a heavenly god, who had come to test Vardhamana out of mere jealousy and ego, as he had heard from INDRA, the heavenly Gods that Vardhamana Mahavira is so brave, courageous and fearless that nobody can move him. So this God had firstly taken the form of a snake. When it was thrown away by Vardhamana, he took the form of a small demon dwarf first, made Vardhamana to sit on the shoulders and then began to develop his body and rise high and high in the sky. But fearless Vardhamana was not frightened at all. He beat the demon form God with his wrist in a boxing like maner that the demon form god had to accept defeat, to apologise before Vardhamana and to go back to his heavenly abode. ALL KNOWING INTELLECTUAL GIANT: From the very childhood Vardhamana had shown the signs of his unusual intellectual powers as the possessor of his above mentioned three knowledges he was! He mastered all the arts and princely games such as horse riding, swimming, wrestling, music, etc. When he was sent to the school for the first time, the teacher was greatly astonished at the knowledge and memory fits of this growing child and declared "Vardhmana knows far better than even me, what shall i teach him?" and really the one master-teacher of the world, had any need to be taught any more? What a brave compassionate, benevolent and intellectual soul he was since childhood! Our prostrations to him!!! (Gurjar Jain Sangh Rurkela Souvenir, 1977)
